Automatic rod selector mechanism



Sept. 5, 1939. R, ANKE 2,171,967

AUTOMATIC ROD SELECTOR MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L n r -mi) 1N VEN TOR.

Budoiph flake BY ATTORNEY.

Sept. 5, 193 9.

R. ANKE AUTOMATIC ROD SELECTOR MECHANISM Filed Oct. 5, 1931 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 5, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AUTOMATIC ROD SELECTOR MECHANISM Application October 5,

24 Claims.

My invention relates to full fashioned knitting machines, and more particularly to a device for selectively actuating in predetermined order yarn carriers feeding separate yarns respectively in succeeding courses of a fabric during the knitting thereof.

In carrying out my invention I provide mechanism for automatically disconnecting in preselected courses a carrier rod which lays yarn for certain courses from the friction rod and for connecting a second carrier which lays another yarn, for example, a yarn of a different color or gauge so that several courses may be laid to provide, in the illustrative embodiment shown in the drawings, a horizontal stripe. To eifect this result I provide the usual friction box on the friction rod with a slide shiftable from engaging relation with one carrier rod to engaging relation with another by means of a cam controlled rocking arm. The rocking arm is operable by a cam when a cam follower is positioned for engagement with the cam by means of a lever system controlled by an intermittently operated pattern chain.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view, partly broken away, of the friction rod and carrier rods of a full fashioned knitting machine together with the automatic control mechanism provided therefor in accordance with my invention:

Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly broken away, of portions of the mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, of the slide for selectively connecting carrier rods to the friction rod and the cam controlled mechanism for operating the slide; and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view illustrating the manner of guiding and holding the slide positioned in a friction box on the friction rod of a full-fashioned knitting machine.

Referring to the drawings, the numerals ill and H designate two of a plurality of reciprocablc thread-carrier rods adapted to lay yarn along the needles of a knitting machine for the formation of loops by the sinkers and dividers thereof. These carrier rods are reciprocated when connected to a friction box l2 carried by a reciprocable friction rod l3. In accordance with the present invention, a slide I4 is guided in the friction box l2 for movement transversely of the carrier rods and is provided with a handle I 5. The slide US has a nose It adapted toenter notches or recesses H in dogs l8, and I9, one of which is secured to each thread carrier rod. At its under 1931, Serial No. 566,989

side the slide I4 is provided, as shown in Fig. 4, with a series of notches engageable by a spring pressed ball 2|, or other detent, to maintain the slide in the position to which it has been moved in friction box !2 for connecting a carrier rod to the friction rod I3.

, Slide [4 is automatically movable in friction box I2 to selectively connect either of the thread carrier rods H] or H to the friction rod I3. Near its rearward end slide l4 has a slot 22 normally receiving an arm 23 secured to a rock shaft 24 journaled in brackets 25.

An arm 26 fixed to shaft 24 is adjustably secured to a rod 21 having collars 29 and 29' engageab-le by the end of the arm 28 of a bell crank secured to a stub shaft 30 mounted in a. bracket 3| on the frame of the machine. The other arm 32 of the bell crank is connected to a lever 33 held by a spring 34 in operative engagement with a stub shaft 35. Shaft 35 is journaled in a forked arm 36 extending from a collar 3'! on loop regulating shaft 38. A spring 40 connected to bell crank arm 28 and a shaft 4| acts to maintain a roller 42 mounted on stub shaft 35 between the bifurcations of arm 36 in contact with a cam 43 or an idler cam 44 carried by a cam shaft 45.

A lug 41 on collar 3'! supports a stud 48 on which a lever 50 is pivotally mounted. At its upper end lever 50 engages a sleeve secured to a roller 5| slidably mounted on shaft 35. A spring 52 connected to collar 31 and the lower arm of lever 50 normally acts on lever 50 to maintain roller 51 out of the plane of a cam 53 fixed to cam shaft 45. edge thereof a plate 54 a portion of which projects beyond the periphery of the cam. Plate 54 is adapted to cooperate with roller 5! for a purpose which will be described hereafter.

Lever 50 is connected by a rod 55 to an arm 56 pivotally mounted on a shaft 51 carried by a bracket 58. Arm 56 has a lug 60 positioned to be engaged by buttons 6| on a pattern chain 52 passing over a sprocket 63. Sprocket 63 is intermittently operated by being given a definite increment of movement for each rotation of cam shaft 45, this increment being suflicient for ex ample to advance chain 52 one or more links.

Normally the nose [6 of the slide I4 is received in the notch ll of the dog IS on carrier rod l0 Cam 53 has securedto one side of spring 52.

rier rod move to the left (Figure 2) the slot 22 in slide l4 mounted in friction box I2 moves from engagement with arm 23 and on return movement of the rods to the right the slide is returned to normal position with the arm 23 seated in slot 22. As these movements of the friction and carrier rods take place, the end of arm 28 moves idly between the collars 29 and 29' on rod 2?, arm 28 being moved in one direction by spring 43 and in the opposite direction by the eccentric portion of cam 43 as the latter rotates in engagement with roller 42. Thus, arm 28 does not cause movement of rod 2'! unless arm 23 is displaced from its adjusted position. In such event the operation of arm 28 acts to properly position arm 23 so that it may enter the slot 22 in slide l4 when the latter is returned with friction box l2 to normal position. Thus, a connection is reestablished between slide l4 and arm 22 so that the slide may be moved in the friction box to establish connection with the carrier rod ll if desired.

When yarn separate, or of a different color or gauge from that laid by carrier rod I is to be laid for providing a stripe or other effect, a button 3! is mounted on pattern chain 62 in such position that the intermittent operation thereof brings the button beneath the lug 68 of arm 56 at the proper time for inserting the stripe. Button on being moved beneath lug 60 acts to pivot arm 55 on shaft 5'! and through the rod 55 to turn lever 59 on stud 48 against the action This turning of lever 50 results in moving roller 5| on shaft 35 into the plane of cam 53. At this time the eccentric portion of cam 43 acts on roller 42 and arm 35 to maintain roller 5i slightly away from cam 53 to permit such axial movement of roller 5!. As cam 53 rotates the periphery thereof, which has portions extending beyond the periphery of cams 43 and 54, engages roller 5! and acts to rock arm 35 clockwise and move roller 42 from con tact with cam 43. The rocking of arm 33 causes counter clockwise rotation of arm 28 which being in engagement with collar 28 acts through rod 2i to turn shaft 24 and rock arm 23 counter clockwise. Arm 23 moves slide M in friction box 82 transversely of the carrier rods carrying the nose of the slide M from the notch in the dog on carrier rod l9 into the notch of dog 13 on carrier rod ll. Thus, the connection of carrier rod i l to friction box 52 and friction rod 53 is interrupted and carrier rod H is connected to the friction box for reciprocation by friction rod l3. Consequently, on reciprocation of the friction rod in well known manner the next two courses laid along the needles will be of the yarn supplied by carrier rod H, which yarn may contrast in color or gauge with that supplied for other courses by carrier rod id or be otherwise constituted so that a horizontal stripe or other effect obtainable by the use of separate yarns is produced in the knitted material.

As during the normal knitting operations the reciprocation of friction rod l3 moves the slide l4 away from arm 23 temporarily interrupting the connection between the slide and the arm. Slide id is held in its advanced position in friction box E? by ball 2! engaging a notch 20.

Near the end of a revolution of cam 53 with shaft 45 the contour of the cam permits spring 55 to act to move the end of bell crank 28 away from collar 29 towards collar 29' but not into engagement therewith. Since rod 2'! is not operated the arm 23 remains in its advanced position for entering seat 22 when slide I4 is returned. As the low spot of cam 53 is presented to roller 51 the high spot or eccentric portion of cam 43 engages roller 42 rocking arm 36 to move roller 5| away from cam 53. Spring 52 tends to act on lever 55 and move roller 5! from the plane of cam 53 but is resisted by the connection of lever to arm 56 which is held against movement by the button 81 seated beneath lug 60*. Chain 62 may be provided with one or more buttons 6|, for controlling the connection of carrier rod II to friction rod l3, depending on the ratio of movement of chain 62 to that of cam shaft 45. In any event a button, or buttons, on chain 62 acts on arm 56 and its connection to lever 50 to maintain roller 56 in the path of cam 53 for at least two revolutions of cam shaft 45; that is, for the cycle of operation in which carrier rod ll reciprocates to lay two courses, one in each direction, during which slide I 4 moves away from arm 23 and returns to connected relation therewith.

In the second revolution of cam shaft 45, cam 53 again acts on roller 55 and arm 36 to move roller 42 from contact with cam 43 and again moves arm 28 to engagement with collar 29 on rod 2'! but does not cause movement of rod 21 on arm 23. As cam 53 completes its second revolution the reengagement of cam 43 with roller 42 moves roller 5i away from cam 53 so that spring 52 may pivot lever 50 on stud 48 moving roll-er 5! on stub shaft 35 from the plane of cam 53. Spring 52 may perform this function inasmuch as the controlling button 5! on chain 52 has been moved from engagement with lug E5 on arm 56.

Arm 23 is still in its advanced position and the slide M has returned to its normal position in which arm 23 is seated in the slot 22 of slide 14 reconnecting the latter to arm 23. As the low spot of cam 43 rides beneath roller 42 spring 40 acts to move bell crank arm 28 into engagement with collar 29 moving rod 2'! to rock shaft 24. As shaft 24 is rocked the arm 23 is turned clockwise and being again connected to slide i 4 moves the latter in friction box 12 to withdraw nose Hi from engagement in the notch of the dog I9 on carrier rod 45 into engagement with the notch of the dog E8 on carrier rod It. Thus, carrier rod H is disconnected from friction rod l3 and carrier rod' Ii] is again connected thereto for resuming laying of the yarn employed in the normal knitting operation.

Thereafter the carrier rod ii) is reciprocated in the knitting operations and cam 43 and spring 40 cause movement of the end of bell crank arm 28 between collars 29 and 29' without actuating rod 2'! until other horizontal stripes or effects producible by an equivalent action are to be produced whereupon another button, or other buttons, on chain 52 advance to control the shifting of slide 14, as described above.

To provide for the laying of a plurality of successive pairs of courses of a yarn other than the yarn supplied by carrier rod it! a number of buttons may be mounted in succession on chain 52. To provide for spaced areas of the separate yarns one or more buttons controlling the laying of a single double ,course area may be spaced in the desired relation from another button or group of buttons on the chain, thereby alternating the respective yarns in predetermined order in preselected courses of the fabric.

In the knitting of full fashioned hosiery it is customary to perform narrowing operations at certain times. This is customarily effected by shifting cam shaft 55 axially to move the usual loop regulating cams out of operating position and to move narrowing cams into operating position. In the event that cam shaft 45 is shifted axially to the right (Figs. 1 and 2) for a narrowing operation at the time a button on chain 62 has caused roller 5! to be moved into the plane of cam 53, the plate 54 on cam 53 acts to maintain roller 5| alined with cam 53 as the cam moves to the right with shaft 45. Plate 54 is secured to cam 53 in such position as not to interfere with the axial shifting of roller 5I when lever 50 is operated. When shaft 45 is shifted axially cam 43 moves from alinement with roller 42 and idler cam 45 moves into'alinement therewith. Cam 53 also moves with shaft 45 and plate 54 is secured to the cam so that its projecting portion will be rotatively positioned to engage roller 5| after axial movement thereof by lever 50 so that plate 54 moves the roller along with cam 53 as cam shaft 45 moves to the right. When cam shaft 45 is subsequently rotated to move plate 54 on cam 53 from contact with the side of roller 5I the latter is in frictional engagement with the periphery of the cam and thus is held in alinement therewith. During the rotation of cam 53 in the narrowing operation the plate thereon is positioned to prevent spring 52 acting on lever 50 to move roller 5! from alinement with cam 53 in its shifted position. The movement of slide I4 effected by cam 53 during the narrowing operation connects carrier rod II to friction rod I3 for reciprocation thereby on termination of the narrowing operation. When the narrowing operation is terminated shaft 55 is shifted to the left (Figs. 1 and 2) the roller 5I on lever 55 is positioned in the plane of cam 53, the roller being moved with cam 53 by spring 52 as shaft 35 shifts axially. Thus, cam 53 is effective to cause connection of carrier rod II to friction box I2 for laying courses as described above when friction rod I3 is reciprocated after the narrowing operation.

Lever 33 has a notch 54 normally in engagement with stub shaft 35 for connecting levers 33 and 35. A slot 65 in lever 33 connects notch 64 with a second notch 66 also adapted to engage stub shaft 35. Lever 33 has a handle 61 by which it may be raised to disengage notch 54 from stub shaft 35 and moved rearwardly to engage the notch 85 with stub shaft 35. Such movement of lever 33 turns bell crank arm 32 clockwise causing a stop 58 associated therewith to engage a set screw 69 on bracket SI for limiting the rearward movement of lever 33. Bell crank arm 28 is also turned clockwise positioning its end adjacent collar 29 so the bell crank arm 28 on operation by cams 33, 53 or spring 53 moves idly between collars 23' and 29 without moving connecting rod 2?. As a result arm 23 and slide I l remain positioned to connect a desired carrier rod, such as it, to friction rod i3 and are not operated during rotation of cam shaft 55 to connect another carrier rod, such as I I, to the friction rod.

t is to be understood that slide I4 may be employed in conjunction with various pairs of carrier rods other than rods I0 and II, since the invention resides in the novel mechanism disclosed for automatically actuating selected yarn carriers in predetermined order in succeeding courses of the fabric, the mechanism functioning in the manner described irrespective of the type or purpose of the respective yarns fed thereby. For example, slide l4 may normally connect the carrier rod to the left of rod II! to friction rod I3 and on movement, as described above, may connect the carrier rod to the left of rod II to friction rod I3. This may be effected by adjusting the connection of arm 26 to rod 21 so that shaft 24 and arm 23 are positioned to normally locate the nose I6 in the notch of the dog carried by the carrier rod to the left of rod I0. 0n operation of rod 21 by cam 53 the movement of slide I4 would then connect the carrier rod to the left of rod I l to friction rod I3. Similar adjustments of shaft 24 and arm 23 may be made by moving rod 21 rotatively to arm 28 and relocating the collars 29 and 29 correspondingly.

The extent of movement of slide I4 may be varied by positioning the collar 29 to provide for an idle movement of arm 28 before it engages the collar for moving rod 2? and arm 23. In this manner the spacing of the carrier rods between which the nose I6 of slide I4 moves may be varied.

What I claim is:

1. In a knitting machine having a reciprocable friction rod, a friction box thereon and a pair of thread carrier rods; means for connecting either of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith comprising, a slide guided in said friction box and having means for engaging a carrier rod, said slide also having a slot; a rockable arm received in said slot for connecting said slide to said arm for movement in said friction box to disconnect one of said pair of carrier rods from said friction rod and to connect the other of said pair thereto, said slide on movement in one direction from normal position with said friction box and rod carrying said slot away from said arm to interrupt the connection of said slide to said arm and on movement in the opposite direction to its normal postion carrying said slot to position to receive said arm for reestablishing connection between said arm and said slide; and means for maintaining said arm positioned to enter said slot on return of said slide to normal position.

2. In a knitting machine having a reciprocable friction rod, a friction box thereon and a pair of thread carrier rods; means for connecting either of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith comprising, a slide guided in said friction box and having means for engaging a carrier rod, said slide also having a slot; a rockable arm for advancing said slide in said friction box to disconnect said one of said pair of carrier rods from said friction rod and to connect the other carrier rod thereto, said slide on movement in one direction from normal position with said friction box and rod carrying said slot away from said arm to interrupt the connection of said slide to said arm and on movement in the opposite direction to its normal position carrying said slot to position to receive said arm for reestablishing connection between said arm and said slide; and means associated with said friction box and said slide for maintaining said slide in its advanced position to retain the slot therein positioned to reengage said arm on return of said slide to rocative friction rod and a friction box on said cam fixed to said shaft; a cam follower carried by said lever and engageable with said cam for controlling said lever to operate said arm, said follower being normally positioned out of the plane of said cam; and control means for moving said follower into the plane of said cam to be engaged thereby.

4; In a full fashioned knitting machine having a plurality of thread carrier rods, a reciprocable friction rod and a friction box on said rod; a movable member carried by said box for selectively connecting any one of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith; a rockable arm for moving said member; and means for operating said arm comprising, a lever; connections between said arm and lever; a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a cam follower carried by said lever and engageable with said cam for controlling said lever to operate said arm, said follower being normally positioned out of the plane of said cam; control means for moving said follower into the plane of said cam to be engaged thereby; and means for maintaining said follower in the plane of said cam on axial movement of said cam shaft.

5, In a full fashioned knitting machine having a plurality of thread carrier rods, a reciprocable friction rod and a friction box on said rod; a movable member carried by said box for selectively connecting any one of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith; a rockable arm for moving said member; and means for operating said arm comprising, a lever; connections between said arm and lever; a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a cam follower carried by said le er and engageable with said cam for controlling said lever to operate said arm, said follower being normally positioned out of the plane of said cam; control means for moving said follower into the plane of said cam to be engaged thereby; and a plate mounted on said cam for engaging said follower to carry the latter along with said cam on axial movement of said cam shaft when said control means have moved the follower into the plane of said cam.

6. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a plurality of thread carrier rods, a reciprocable friction rod and a friction box on said rod; a movable member carried by said box for selectively connecting any one of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith; a rockable arm for moving said member; and means for operating said arm comprising, a lever; connections between said arm and lever; a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a cam follower carried by said lever and engageable with said cam for controlling said lever to operate said arm, said follower being normally positioned out of the plane of said cam; control means for moving said follower into the plane of said cam to be engaged thereby and a plate mounted on said cam and adapted on rotation thereof subsequent to the movement of said cam follower into the plane of said cam by said control means to engage said cam follower for maintaining said follower alined with said cam on axial movement of said cam shaft.

7. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a friction rod, a plurality of carrier rods, and means including a movable member for connecting any one of said carrier rods to said friction rod; an arm operable for moving said memher; and means for controlling and operating said arm comprising, a lever operatively connected to said arm; a stub shaft supported by said lever; a rotatable cam shaft; a cam follower axially movable on said stub shaft into the plane of said cam for engagement therewith to control said lever; means for moving said follower axially of said stub shaft into the plane of said cam; a second cam on said cam shaft; and a second cam follower on said stub shaft engageable with said second cam to control said lever for moving said first cam follower away from the periphery of said first cam to permit said axial movement of said first cam follower on said stub shaft.

8. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a lever supporting a stub shaft; a cam follower mounted on said stub shaft, said follower being normallyout of the plane of said cam; means for moving said cam follower am'ally of said stub shaft into the plane of said cam, said cam having a low point permitting said axial movement of said follower and on subsequent rotation with said cam shaft frictionally engaging said follower to control said lever; and means secured to said cam for maintaining said follower in the plane of said cam prior to frictional engagement therewith when said cam shaft is moved axially.

9. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a lever supporting a stub shaft; a cam follower mounted on said stub shaft, said follower being normally out of the plane of said cam; means for moving said cam follower axially of said stub shaft into the plane of said cam, said cam having a low point permitting said axial movement of said follower and on subsequent rotation with said cam shaft frictionally engaging said follower to control said lever; and a plate secured to said cam for engaging said cam follower to further move the latter axially of said stub shaft for maintaining said follower in the plane of said cam during axial movement of said cam shaft.

10. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a lever supporting a stub shaft; a cam follower mounted on said shaft, said follower being normally out of the plane of said cam; means for moving said cam follower axially of said stub shaft into the plane of said cam, said cam having a low point permitting said axial movement of said follower and on subsequent rotation with said cam shaft frictionally engaging said follower to control said lever; and means on said cam for engaging and moving said cam follower to maintain the latter in the plane of said cam on axial movement of said cam shaft, said means on subsequent rotation of said cam with said cam shaft moving from engagement with said follower and said cam frictionally engaging said follower to maintain the latter in alinement therewith.

11. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a reciprocable friction rod, a friction box and a plurality of pairs of thread carrier rods; a movable member adapted to connect one carrier rod of one pair to said friction box for reciprocation with said friction rod; actuating means for automatically moving said member to disconnect said one carrier rod from said friction rod and to connect the other carrier rod of said pair thereto; and adjustable means including lost motion mechanism connecting said actuating means to said member for variably positioning said member to normally connect one carrier rod of any pair to said member and for controlling the connection of the other carrier rod of said pair to said friction rod on movement of said member by said actuating means.

12. In a knitting machine having a reciprocable friction rod, a friction box thereon and a plurality of thread carrier rods; means connecting one of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith comprising, a movable member guided in said friction box; actuating means for automatically moving said member in said friction box to disconnect said one carrier rod from said friction rod and to connect another carrier rod thereto; and adjustable means including lost motion mechanism connecting said member to said actuating means for determinably varying the movement of said member by said actuating means to selectively connect other carrier rods to said friction rod on movement of said member for disconnecting said one carrier rod.

13. In a full fashioned knitting machine having a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft; a cam fixed to said shaft; a lever supporting a stub shft; a cam follower mounted on said stub shaft, said follower being normally out of the plane of said cam; means for moving said cam follower axially of said stub shaft into the plane of said cam, said cam having a low point permitting said axial movement of said follower and on subsequent rotation with said cam shaft frictionally engaging said follower to control said lever; and means including a member in engagement with said cam for maintaining said follower in the plane of said cam prior to operative engagement therewith when said cam shaft is moved axially to its narrowing position.

I i. In a straight knitting machine the combination with yarn carriers respectively provided. with separate yarns, a movement imparting member for reciprocating said carriers, movement transmitting means adapted to selectively engage said movement imparting member with any of said carriers, and loop forming mechanism; of a device for selectively effecting engagement of one of said carriers with said member independently of another so that the separate yarns carried thereby will be successiveiy fed to the loop forming mechanism in such order as to produce successive separate yarn zones in the fabric being knitted, said device including a contact wheel rotatably mounted on a fixed axis and provided with a surface extension, a follower normally out of engagement with said contact wheel, and controlling means for moving said follower into position to be engaged with said contact wheel to directly position the movement transmitting means to connect said movement imparting member with a selected yarn carrier, and means for rotating said wheel to repeatedly bring said surface extension into active position at predetermined times during alternation of said yarns in succeeding zones of the fabric.

15.111 a full-fashioned knitting machine, a plurality of yarn carrier rods, yarn carriers connected thereto respectively for feeding separate yarns to the same knitting section, and carrier control mechanism for successively operating said carrier rods independently of each other in succeeding zones of the fabric during the knitting thereof, comprising a friction rod, a friction box on said rod, a member carried by said box for selectively connecting any of said carrier rods to said friction rod for reciprocation therewith, an arm actuating said member, a rotatable and axially movable cam shaft, a cam fixed to said shaft, a cam follower connected to a lever and engageable with said cam for controlling said lever to operate said arm, said follower being normally positioned out of the plane of said and controlling means for moving said follower into the plane of said cam to be engaged thereby.

16. In a knitting machine including a reciprocable friction rod, a friction box, and thread carrier rods, means for selectively connecting the carrier rods to the friction rod for reciprocation therewith comprising a slide element guided in the friction box and having means for connec-' tion to a carrier rod, a rocker element, one of said elements having an opening and the other a portion for position in the opening connecting the slide to the rocker for movemet in the friction box to disconnect one of the carrier rods from the friction rod and connect the other thereto, the slide on movement in one direction from normal position with the friction box and the rod carrying the slide away from the rocker to interrupt the connector of the slide to the rocker and on movement in the opposite direction to its normal position carrying the slide to position for reestablishing connection between the rocker and the slide, and means for maintaining the rocker positioned for entry of said portion into said opening on return of the slide to normal position.

17. In a straight knitting machine the com bination with yarn carriers respectively pro- 1 vided with separate yarns, a movement imparting member for reciprocating said carriers, movement transmitting means adapted to selectively engage said movement imparting member with any of said carriers, and loop forming mechanism; of a device for selectively effecting engagement of one of said carriers with said member independently of another so that the separate yarns carried thereby will be successively fed to the loop forming mechanism in such order as to produce zones of different yarn in the fabric being knitted, said device including a contact wheel rotatably mounted on a fixed axis, and provided with a surface extension coacting with a member adapted to be axially moved into and out of engagement with said contact Wheeland adapted to directly position the movement transmitting means to connect said movement imparting member with a selected yarn carrier, and means for rotating said wheel to repeatedly bring said surface extension into active position at predetermined times during alternation of said yarns in succeeding courses of the fabric.

18. In a straight knitting machine the combination with yarn carriers respectively provided with separate yarns, a movement imparting member for reciprocating said carriers, movement transmitting means adapted to selectively engage said movement imparting member with any of said carriers, and loop forming mechanism; of a device for selectively effecting engagement of one of said carriers with said member independently of another so that the separate yarns car ried thereby will be successively fed to the loop forming mechanism in such order as to produce successive separate yarn zones in the fabric being knitted, said device including a contact wheel rotatively mounted on a fixed axis, and provided with a surface extension cooperating with a single means imparting positive motion and adapted to directly position the movement transmitting means to connect said movement imparting member with a selected yarn carrier and means maintaining said contact wheel in constant engagement with said single means for one position of selection, means for moving said single means out of alignment with the path of travel of the surface extension, and means for rotating said wheel to repeatedly bring said surface extension into active position at predetermined times during alternation of said yarns in succeeding zones of the fabric.

19. In a full fashioned stocking knitting machine having a bank of thread carrier rods with the upper edges thereof disposed in a plane, and thread carriers on said rods respectively feeding separate yarns to the same knitting section; selector mechanism for operating said carrier rods in sequence, comprising a friction rod, a friction box on the friction rod, said friction box having a slide movable in a plane parallel to the plane of said upper edges of the thread carrier rods, said thread carrier rods having dogs thereon and said slide having means depending therefrom and coacting with said dogs for selective engagement with said carrier rods, a rock shaft, oscillatable lever structure mounted on said rock shaft, one arm of the lever structure actuating said friction box slide transversely the carrier rods, a lever system connected to another arm of said lever structure, and means including pattern chain mechanism and a cam on the machine cam shaft coacting with said pattern chain mechanism for actuating said lever system and said oscillatable lever structure to cause said slide to travel continuously in one direction in said second named plane from a position of engagement with any one of said carrier rods to a position of engagement with another of said carrier rods to actuate said rods in sequence.

20. In a straight knitting machine the combination with warm carriers respectively provided with separate yarns, a movement imparting member for reciprocating said carriers, movement transmitting means adapted to selectively engage said movement imparting member with any of said carriers, and loop forming mechanism; of a device for selectively effecting engagement of one of said carriers with said member independently of another so that the separate yarns carried thereby will be successively fed to the loop forming mechanism in such order as to produce successive separate yarn zones in the fabric being knitted, said device including means rotatably mounted on a fixed axis and provided with a surface extension adapted to cooperate with an element for directly positioning the movement transmitting means to connect said movement imparting member with a selected yarn carrier, and means to move said element laterally out of alignment with the path of travel of the surface extension of the rotatablymounted means.

21. In a straight knitting machine the cornbination with yarn carriers respectively provided with separate yarns, a movement imparting member for reciprocating said carriers, movement transmitting means adapted to selectively engage said movement imparting member with any of said carriers, and loop forming mechanism; of a device for selectively effecting engagement of one of said carriers with said member independently of another so that the separate yarns carried thereby will be succes sively fed to the loop forming mechanism in such order as to produce successive separate yarn zones in the fabric being knitted, said device including rotatably mounted means provided with a surface extension adapted to pass a point in its travel where an element is periodically moved laterally into and out of alignment with the path of travel of the surface extension to cooperate with said surface extension at predetermined intervals to directly move the movement transmitting means from engagement with one carrier rod to engagement with another.

22. In a straight knitting machine, the combination with movement imparting means, movement transmitting means adapted to selectively connect one of a plurality of reciprocable elements with the movement imparting means, of a device for effecting the actuation of said movement transmitting means including a rotatably mounted contact Wheel provided with a surface extension adapted to periodically cooperate with a follower to directly position said movement transmitting means in position to engage one of the reciprocable elements with the movement imparting member, and means for moving said follower laterally out of alignment with the path of travel of said surface extension.

23. In combination with a plurality of yarn carriers, means for selective operative engagement with any of said carriers, an actuating de vice comprising rotatable means, a plurality of elements cooperating therewith and relatively axially shiftable with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotatable means, and mechanism for effecting the relative axial shifting of said elements whereby to produce selective connection of the yarn carriers with the actuating device.

24. In a full fashioned stocking blank knitting machine, the combination of a plurality of reciprocable yarn carriers, yarn carrier reciprocating means, a unit for connecting the yarn carriers to said reciprocating means for reciprocation thereby, a rotatable cam shaft axially shiftable to effect knitting in one position and narrowing in another position, means movable with and relative to said unit for selectively connecting the carriers to, and disconnecting them from, the unit to lay separate yarns in recurrent sequence, and actuating means including an element bodily reciprocably shiftable longitudinally of the machine independently of said unit to effect transmission of an actuating impulse to said selective connecting means, pattern control means, and means governed by said pattern control means cooperating with said bodily shiftable element and operative when the cam shaft is in one of said positions for selectively affecting said selective connecting means to automatically change the machine from said sequential carrier operation to other operation and from said other operation to said sequential carrier operation.

RUDOLPH ANIQE. 

